Search This Blog

Strava Widget

Topic Discussion - Footwear

Footwear is an extremely important consideration on the trail. You are going to need you feet to keep you going each and everyday. I looked at a few things when making my decisions as to the footwear choices I have made, however, I am going to cover as much of the decision making process as I can from the beginning.

There are several types of footwear when it comes to hiking, so lets list the various options to choose from and them we will expand from there on what properties are best for each type. (Definitions are from Wikipedia)

Mountaineering boots:

Mountaineering boots are usually taller, stiffer, and insulated. The boots can be made of leather, plastic, or modern synthetic materials like Kevlar. The extra height and stiffness of mountaineering boots helps support the climber in steep terrain where flexible boots could cause unsure footing and possibly result in a fall. This extra stiffness is traditionally achieved through the use of a full steel shank, though some manufacturers have begun to use carbon fiber to create the necessary stiffness. Mountaineering boots are typically designed to be used with crampons. The stiffness of the boot enhances the precision of the crampon and allows a climber to pursue steeper and more difficult terrain. (These will not be used on the Appalachian Trail Thru-hike; this would be overkill, it is too much boot)

(Pictures are of leather boot, synthetic boot, and crampons)

Hiking/Backpacking boots:

Hiking boots are constructed to provide comfort for miles of walking over rough terrains, and protect the hiker's feet against water, mud, rocks, and other wilderness obstacles. Hiking boots support the ankle to avoid twisting but should not restrict the ankle's movement much. They also must be fairly stiff to support the foot. A properly fitted boot and/or friction-reducing patches applied to troublesome areas can ensure protection against blisters and other discomforts associated with long hikes on rugged terrain.

(Pictures are of full leather boot, leather & synthetic boot, and full sythetic boot)

Trail runners:

Halfway between a running shoe and a hiking boot, these are specificially designed shoes that have aggressively knobby soles that are generally more rigid than road running shoes. The usually EVA compound midsole often contain a lightweight, flexible nylon plastic layer to protect the feet from puncture wounds from sharp rocks or other objects. Trail running shoes are low to the ground which provides the best stability on uneven terrain. (We chose trail runners from Gore-tex as the first boot starting from Springer Mountain, GA)

(Pictures are of the Trail runners that I chose: Vasque Velocity GTX)

Running Sneakers/Shoes:

Some hikers go with a shoe designed for long distance running, without any purpose for hiking. Some hikers feel that the lack of ankle support helps to strengthen their ankles. Some feel that they constantly breath easier and go without Gore-Tex fabric. Some hikers believe that Gore-Tex just cannot breathe enough under intense hiking conditions; as well some tend to experience that NON Gore-tex shoes DRY faster. Many days will be soaking wet on the trail and your boots could take days to dry, thus the NON Gore-tex would benefit in this situation. These types of shoes are usually made of flexible compounds, typically featuring a sole made of dense rubber. Usually an extremely light type of shoe that offer no puncture resistance or stiff type of sole. On the contrary, ususally they bend easily. (There is a good chance that we will move to an extremely light/comfortable NON Gore-tex running shoe in the summer; I hear some have done the hike inChacos)

Camp shoes:

Usually this is a type of footwear that gives your feet a break after being trapped inside boots most of the time. Some hikers use Crocs. I personally don't like the Crocs because they are not the best all around solution for use when you are not hiking. For example if you are going to be in town or fording a river, yet don't want to get your boots wet... you can use something like I have chose. My choice is still going to dry very quickly. One of my other concerns was that they slipped on. When you put the back of the shoe down and stand on it... the shoe becomes a slip on.(Salomon Techamphibian 2 shown below)

(This article will not cover FOOTCARE. We will cover that later. Most likely when we get to First Aid kit and First Aid itself)

Get link

Facebook

Twitter

Pinterest

Google+

Email

Other Apps

Comments

Post a Comment

Popular Posts

I have been reading this thread on the BackPackingLight.com forums about ethical means of obtaining packets of sauces that hikers desire. My choice is to have McDonald's Salsa packets. They are yummy and go with so many things. For me specifically egg tacos in flour tortillas!

So I just walked right up and asked the manager if I could buy them. She told me my options were to buy a whole box of 408 packets for $12 or half of that box for $6. But since she had an open one she sold it to me for $10.

So for $10 I got 362 packets of .5 oz salsa from McDonald's. What a freaking DEAL!!! There goes the moral argument on that deal, eh?

When Wallace frequently mentions "we" went writing this blog he is referring to me, his wife, Annette. I thought I'd finally chip in and give my two cents about the female side of preparation for this great adventure. One thing in particular that I would like to discuss that has revolutionized my outdoor experience is the female urinary device. I know it does not sound very sexy; the F.U.D. However this little baby is incredible to me. I first discovered this genius piece of equipment, during Wallace and I's first adventure, a 7 month backpacking trip through Western Europe. While camping in Holland for about 2 months we experienced a lot of the typical weather of the Netherlands extreme cold and lots of rain. When nature called in the middle of the night; I'd have to put on all my rain gear and brave the crappy weather on my trek towards the john; now wide awake from the cold. That is until I happened upon these disposable paper cones shaped to fit the female an…

Tents have been something I love to look at and explore the options available. There are several types that I know and consider let's look at those options:Double walled tentSingle walled tentTarpBivyHammockThere probably are more options or subdivisions, but I will leave it at these options. Since I was a younger man I have always had a double walled tent. My first tent I remember was double walled, but I cannot recall the brand or version name. Today though I currently have a double walled tent from MSR called a Hubba Hubba. This tent has been unstoppable for Annette and me. We used this through Europe camping on and off for months at a time. Then we got home and ran a whole season of mountain bike races in it. Then the tent was put away while I travelled for work. When we started back up camping, we noticed that the seam tape was peeling off the seams of the vestibule. So we contact MSR, at the suggestion of my buddy Aaron (smart guy). Low and behold, MSR replaced the …